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CVE-2026-52885

6.3 · MEDIUM

Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor.

Published Jun 26, 2026CWE-367EPSS 0.13%

Overview

CVE-2026-52885 is a medium-severity vulnerability. It was published on June 26, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.3 (MEDIUM).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.3, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

Technical description

Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.6.4, NppCommands.cpp checks the HMAC of the on-disk shortcuts.xml at the moment a user command fires (Time-of-Check). However, the command payload is taken from the in-memory _userCommands vector, which is populated at application startup and never re-synchronized with the on-disk file (Time-of-Use). Swapping shortcuts.xml between startup and command execution causes the HMAC check to validate a clean file while a malicious command runs. An attacker with write access to shortcuts.xml places a malicious version on disk before launch, then immediately restores the legitimate file. The HMAC check at execution time validates the restored legitimate file (check passes), while the malicious payload executes from memory. This vulnerability is fixed in 8.9.6.4.

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

References

GitHubgithub.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/4f7563c7c7f8ffa0d795ec86a7777067c7d644b5GitHubgithub.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-qm4c-qg8p-qfcrGitHubgithub.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-qm4c-qg8p-qfcr

How CyberStrike helps

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-52885?

CVE-2026-52885 is a medium-severity vulnerability. It was published on June 26, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.3 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2026-52885?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.3, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-52885?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-52885?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2026-52885 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

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